August 28th is a Saturday and is as close to the start of the season as we can get without having it on a weekday or Sunday. I'll try to make reservations at Buffalo Wild Wings or Mike's Sports Grill. Let me know if the date is a problem. Either way, we'll probably still have it live on Yahoo through laptops, except most of us will be together. If everyone can come, we can do it with one big board live.

What are your thoughts on starting a keeper league? In a keeper league, coaches are allowed to keep a certain number of drafted players from the year before going into the next season. I have heard of a lot of different scenarios for keeper league rules, but the one I like the most is like this:

Each team can keep up to two (or three) DRAFTED players from the previous season, giving up their draft pick in the round immediately preceding the round the player was originally drafted. For example, Bruesch drafted Mike Sims-Walker in the 16th round last year. If he wanted to keep him, he would have to give up his 15th round pick this season. Every year that you keep a player, you have to give up one round earlier (so, in 2011, Sims-Walker would cost Bruesch a 14th round pick) until it is a first round pick. Coaches may keep a player only one season after it costs them a first round pick.

This rewards players for good drafting over years and creates true "teams," as well as slightly shorter drafts. I would have to see how Yahoo allows for this system, but it can be managed easily. Tell me your thoughts. We'll vote before the season begins.

Start planning on when you'll be available for the live draft. We'lltry to have it at Buffalo Wild Wings in Lawton just before the start of the season. Email the commissioner if you have any suggestions for the draft or the timetable.